Ink fountain structure



July 11, 1950 H. E. PEYREBRUNE EI'AL 2, 14, 6

INK FOUNTAIN STRUCTURE Filed March 11, 1947 V EN TORS BY [far/y JamPatented July 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INK FOUNTAINSTRUCTURE of Delaware Application March 11, 1947, Seria lNo.-{Z33,962

The invention relates to inking mechanism for printing presses andhas.reference in particular to improved structural, features, applicable toink fountains having. a collapsible bottom wall such as basicallydisolosedin the Clark Patent No. 1,231,567, granted July 3, 1917.

The fountain. structure-of the above identified patent embodies a,collapsible bottom wall having a fountain blade of flexible metalsecured thereto and located with an edge in close. prox.- imity to theink fountain roller when the bottom wall is in closed position. {Thebottom wall may be collapsed by moving thehsamein a direction. awayfrom. the roller whereby to render the parts. accessiblefor cleaningpurposes. Also the structure of the patent .embodiesadjustable means foradjusting the fountain bladelocally along its widthfor. obtaining thedesired' distribution of ink.

The present inventionairns toimprove the. ink fountain. structure of theabove patent by providing toggle meansconnecting. with the collaps lebott m. wall. f. th ink fountain in ombination with a wormgear drive foractuating the toggle means whereby the. oollapsiblebottom wall may bemoved to .andfrom collapsed and operative positions and securelylockedin closed operative position by said toggle means which have.location beyond a dead center position for such purpose..

, .In the operation. of. print n presses. which. a run at comparative yhi hsp eds, one s confronted, with the problem Qimalntaining thepredetermined ink supply. constant. during the entire run of aprinting..iob, particularly so wher v multicolor work is .inyolved- For accmplishing this, it, is, essentialtoprovide means whereby the ink.fountain setting, that is to. say, the metering-pf the volumeof inksuppliedto the inkdistributing roller system by the ink fountain, .mustbemaintained constant through.- out the entireprinting job.

In certain types, of ink fountain structuresincludingthe collapsiblefountain disclosed in the above idfintifiedpatent to Clark, the. inkfountain blade is maintained in i s, cooperative relation with-thefountain rollerniainlyby the force of gravity on the fountain bottomwall and associated parts. No provision is made whereby any disturbanceof the fountain. setting brought about by vibration or other causes,can. be avoided.

It is therefore one. of, the primary objects of our invention toprovideeffective means whereby the fountain blade. and its support shall be se-.curely held. p edeterm d. settin relation w th t e founta n rol e o tereby mainta n. he ink supp y f the u ta n. ate predeterm ned rate.

.Another. ob ect: .o ,.the. inyentionis to pres d improv d means. f r.-0pe.ratin h co lapsible bottom wall or nink. fountain. comprising 9gle mechanism wherein one pair of links of said me h nism is connectedby an. eccentric-to provid for ad s ment of the to gle links at one nd.of the. fountainv with r sp ctt the hassle links at the opposite end.

In the fountain, structure of. the inventionthe eccentric arrangementisincorporated inthe toggle inks at that-end-of the. foun a n which is fathest from the w rm ear d ive where th ope in crank istl a ed and ,asaresults h ec entric arrangement provides. a preloadin e r which ssuresthat... this far endcf. the collapsible bottom wall of the fountain islocked in. p rativ p iti nv si ultaneously o refer bly. before th o heren -..e.. that endadiacent the operating; gears. I

Still another ,object resides in theprovision of an operating shaft, forthe toggle means in the form. of a sleeve supported for rotation on asolid shaft or rod fixedlymounted at its re spective ends in the frameof the press, whereby maximum strength and rigidity is obtainedfin theoperating mechanism for the collapsible bottom wal A further object isto provide ink fountain structure having a collapsible bottom wall withtoggle-means and a worm gear driving for actuating; the same, andwherein the bottom wall is capable of unit adjustment to vary theposition ofthe ink fountain blade with respect tothe fountain rollerwhereby to regulate the quantity of fed ink across the entire width ofthe plate without disturbing the setting of the local adjusting screws.

With these and'various other objects in view, the invention may consistof certain novel fea tures of construction and operationas Will -be morefully described and particularlypointed out in the specification,drawings and claimsappended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, andwherein like reference characters are used todesignate :like parts;

Figure 1 is a rear elevational view showing ink fountain structureequipped with-theimproved features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view show.-

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment selected for illustrating thepresent invention essentially consists of a frame providing the endwalls 10 and I2 of the ink fountain whichadditionally includes a bottomwall l4 and-an ink fountain roller of metal designated bynumeral I 5.The ink fountain roller is formed with trunnions l6 which extend thro h.the end walls,

Ill and I2 and into bearings" and I8 provided on said walls respectivelyto rotatably support the roller l5. At the; right hand end of thefountain, as shown in Figure 1, it will be observed that the trunnion I6extends beyond its bearing I8, the extending end being reduced-indiameter for supporting the ratchet wheel which is securely, fixedthereto for the purpose of transmitting rotation to the fountain roller15. This reduced end also carries the actuating lever 2!, the latterbeing loose on the shaft and thus capable of rotation independently ofthe shaft. The actuating lever 2| is preferably held on the end of thistrunnion by a retaining bolt 22., The handle end 23 of the actuatinglever 2| carries the pawl 24 which engages theteeth on ratchet wheel 20.A pivoted latch 26 is mounted on the outer wall of the fountain frame25. This latch is urged in an upward direction by the coil spring 21.The coil spring yieldingly holds the latch in contact with the teeth ofratchet 20 and is constructed and arranged to prevent rotation of theratchet and thus rotation of the ink fountain roller in a clockwisedirection, Figure 3. The depending end 28 of the actuatin lever. 2ipivotally connects with rod '30 as .at 3|, the said rod being actuatedin any conventional manner by anoperating part of the press tc'therebycause oscillatingmovement of the actuating lever 2|. As a result of thismovement of the lever and the structure including the ratchet,intermittent rotation is imparted to the ink fountain roller.

The bottom wall M is integral withthe two depending sections 32 one ofwhich being provided at each end of the fountain and which sections arepivotally supported by 'a shaft 33 mounted in the fountain frame 25. Thebottom wall l4 and said depending section 32 therefore have movement asa unit about the shaft 33 as an axis. The fountain blade 34 is fixed tothe upper surface of the wall l4 and a cavity or recess 35 is formed insaid wall so that the inner end of the blade adjacent the rollerl5.,will be free and thereby capable of fiexingmovement in a directiontoward and from the roller when the fountain is in closed operativeposition. A series of closely spaced and conventional set screws 36 arearranged along the bottom wall. Said screws contact at their inner endswith the flexible end of the fountain blade andmay be adjusted forregulating the ink supply along the entire width of the fountain rollerI5 so as to obtain the desired supply of ink for the form, as is wellknown in the art of printing.

. The shaft 31, whichis suitably supportedand secured against rotationin horizontal position adjacent the ink fountain structure by the frameof the press or by any other stationary part thereof, rotatably supportsthe sleeve 38, which latter extends substantially across the entirewidth of the ink fountain. At its right hand end, as shown in Figure 1,the sleeve 38 has suitably fixed thereto the worm gear 40, and at thisend shaft 3'! extends through and beyond portion 25 of the frame, whichportion journals the worm 4| having meshing relation with worm gear 40and constituting the driving means for said gear. Worm M is suitablyfixed to an operating shaft 42 journalled in bearings 43 integral withthe fountain frame portion 25. Said shaft 42 projects beyond itslefthand bearing, as shown in Figure 2, for receiving the crank M. Saidcrank, having the handle 45, is releasably engaged with the projectingportion of shaft 42, and by means of pin 45 rotation of the crank isimparted to the worm gear 4| and thus to gear 40 to cause rotation ofsleeve 38.

Sleeve 38 forms part; of the toggle mechanism for actuating thecollapsible bottom wall Hi of the ink fountain. The spaced links 48 and50 are formed integral with the sleeve 38, the link 48 being located atthe end of the sleeve farthest removed from gear All, and the link 58being located relatively adjacent the gear end of the sleeve. Link 48 isconnected to link 5|, having pivotal connection at its upper end as at52 to the collapsible Wall M of the fountain. In a similar manner link5& pivotally connects with link 53 which is pivoted at its other end tothe bottom wall [4 of the fountain as at 54. It will therefore beobserved that by rotating the sleeve 35 by means of the crank 46, thetoggle means, comprising links 48, 5| and links 50, 53, will besimultaneously actuiated to move the bottom wall M of the fountain toand from its operative and collapsed positions.

In accordance with the invention the links 48, 5| are pivotallyconnected by means of an eccentric 55. This eccentric is integral withits stud shaft 56, mounted in link 48, as shown in Figure l, the studshaft and thus the eccentric, by means of its shoulder bearing againstthe 3 link 48, being fixedly held in adjusted position by bolt 51 havingthe securing nut 58. Link 5! is free to pivot about the eccentric 55.The other toggle means which comprises links 50, 53 are joined in theusual maner by a pivot pin or bolt designated by numeral 60 and whichpin is suitably held in position by a nut 6| threaded onto it. Theeffect of the eccentric connecting links 48, 5], is to provide foradjustment of the pivot center of said connection and which pivot centermay therefore be shifted laterally beyond the center line of the linksto the extent permitted by the eccentric. No such adjustment is providedfor links 50, 53. The eccentric arrangement is located at the far end ofthe ink fountain, or, in other words, at the end farthest removed fromthe gear drive including the worm gears 40 and 4!, and thus at the endaway from the operator. With the bottom wall I l in closed operativeposition as shown in Figure 2, it will be seen that the toggle links arebeyond dead center position to a slight extent sufficient to securelylock the toggle mechanism and the bottom wall rigidly in theirclosedposition and against adjustable stops 62 for the purpose of eliminatingany play in the assembly due to manufacturing tolerances and to preventinadvertent opening which otherwise might occur as a result ofvibrations of the press or the like. The position of the toggle linkspast dead center can also be varied by said adjustable stops 62 whichare preferably threaded into frame 25 and attests extend outwardly-fromthe frame for contact with the liiikssiirand 53, respectively. Incollapsed position of the bottom wall the stops 63. are-in contact withthe arcuate portions of links 48 and 50, respectively. I

For' ink fountains of sonsiderable width. the eccentricfeature' hasproven-desirable and effective, for'the' purpose of assuring that thefar endpoflthe movable bottom walliand therewith the fountain blade willbe locked in closed position before the end near the operator is locked.Adjustment of the eccentric can also be resorted to for eliminating anyirregularities in the construction of the bottom wall or the ink plate.For example, if one end of the fountain blade should be a trifle wideror narrower than the other end, which might be the result of inaccuracyin the grinding operation, an appropriate adjustment of the eccentriccould be made to overcome this.

The toggle mechanism in combination with the worm gear drive alsoenables a collective positioning of the blade toward or away from thefountain roller to provide a unit adjustment of the same for regulatingthe amount of ink fed across the width of the fountain and which doesnot interfere with the individual setting of the adjusting screws.

What is claimed is:

1. In an ink fountain, the combination with including a pair of togglelinks at each end of n the bottom wall, and eccentric means pivotallyconnecting the links of one pair, whereby to provide for adjustment ofthe pivot center of the links of said pair to insure proper positioningof the bottom wall with respect to the fountain roller in its closedposition.

2. In an ink fountain, the combination with a frame providing the sidewalls of an ink trough, a fountain roller journaled by said side walls,a bottom wall for said ink trough, a fountain blade fixed to said bottomwall, means mounting the bottom wall for movement independently of theside walls to a closed or operative position in which position the edgeof the fountain blade is in close proximity to the roller and an open orinoperative position in which the blade is moved away from the rollerand the bottom wall is completely clear of said side walls to facilitatecleaning of the fountain, toggle mechanism for actuating said bottomwall including a pair of toggle links at each end of the bottom wall, asleeve supported for rotation on a stationary shaft one link of eachpair having pivotal securement to the bottom wall, the other link ofeach pair being fixed to and actuated by said sleeve, means pivotallyjoining the links of each pair including an eccentric for one pair ofsaid links, whereby said eccentrically connected links are capable ofadjustment by rotation of said eccentric for preloading the bottom wallto assure the positioning of both pairs of links beyond dead centerposition, and adjustable stops associated with said links forpredetermining the extent of their movement beyond dead center andcooperating with said links to lock the toggle mechanism and thereby thebottom wall rigidly in their closed or operative position.

3. In an ink fountain structure for printing presses the combination ofa fountain roller, a movable bottom wall having an open and a closedposition-with respect to the fountain-roller; toggle mechanismfor'actuating said bottom wall in cluding'a'pair-of togglelinksat eachend of saidbottom wall, adjustable stops provided-- onthe ink fountainfor contact with one link of each pair, said links having a positionbeyond dead center and contacting said stops to thereby lo'ck the bottomwall inclosed position, said stops also providing-means forpredetermining the extent beyond dead center-said links may bepositioned, eccentric means pivotally joining the links of one pairwhereby preloading of the bottom wall is provided for to assure thelocking of both pairs of links beyond said dead center position whenclosing said bottom wall, and a Worm gear drive for actuating saidtoggle mechanism.

l. In an ink fountain structure for printing presses, the combination ofa fountain roller, a movable bottom wall having an open and a closedposition with respect to the fountain roller, toggle mechanism foractuating said bottom wall including a pair of toggle links at each endof said bottom wall, adjustable stops provided on the ink fountain forcontact with one link of each pair, said links having a position beyonddead center and contacting said stops to thereby lock the bottom wall inclosed position, said stops also providing means for predetermining theextent beyond dead center said links may be positioned, eccentric meanspivotally joining the links of one pair whereby preloading of the bottomwall is provided for to assure locking of both pairs of links beyondsaid dead center position when closing the bottom wall, a sleeve mountedfor rotation in parallel relation with the bottom wall, one link of eachpair being fixed to and actuated by said sleeve, the other link of eachpair having pivotal securement to the bottom wall, and a worm gear drivefor rotating said sleeve whereby to actuate the toggle mechanism.

5. In an ink fountain structure for printing presses the combination of,side walls, a fountain roller journalled therein, a pivoted bottom wallhaving a closed and an open position with respect to said fountainroller, adjustable stops carried by said ink fountain, and togglemechanism for actuating said bottom wall including a pair of togglelinks at each end of the bottom wall, the links of one pair beingpivotally joined by eccentric means to provide for adjustment of thepivot center of said pair whereby contact of both pairs of links withsaid stops in a position beyond dead center of said links is assured andall excessive play is taken up, thereby rigidly securing said bottomwall in its closed position.

6. In an ink fountain structure for printing presses, the combination ofa frame including side walls, a, fountain roller journalled in saidwalls, a collapsible bottom wall including a fountain blade, mechanismfor moving said bottom wall to and from operative and inoperativepositions, said bottom wall in inoperative position being collapsed withrespect to said fountain roller and clear of said side walls, and aneccentric stud arranged at one end of said mechanism to provideadjustment whereby movement of said fountain blade to a predeterminedposition with relation to said roller is assured.

'7. An ink fountain structure for printing presses, having incombination, side walls, a, fountain roller journalled therein, a bottomwall movable toward and away from said roller, a fountain blade carriedby said bottom wall, operating means provided adjacent said side wallsfor moving said bottom wall, means associated 2,514,556, 7 with saidoperating means for accomplishing REFERENCES CITED adjustment of saidblade relative to said roller, The following references are of record int and mechanism for actuating said operating file of this patent:

means-including gears and a member rigidly connecting said operatingmeans, said latter 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS means including an adjustableeccentric stud at Number Name Date the far end of said member wherebytorque in 2,164,480 Tornberg Ju1y.4,v1939 said member may be compensatedfor. 2,351,315 Barber June 13, 1944 HENRI E. PEYREBRUNE. 2,387,332 KunzOct. 23, 1945 HARRY T. JAMES. 10 2,449,909 Putnam et a1 Sept. 21, 1948

